Jeff Thomas (1958-2003)

(Class of 2019)

Thomas dominated New Jersey’s amateur golf scene in the 1980s, when he won five of his unprecedented eight NJSGA Amateur Championships (1981, ’83, ’85, ’87, and ’88). He added three more Amateur titles in 1990, 1991 and 1994, far surpassing any other golfer. In addition, Thomas was runner-up five times in the NJSGA Amateur. 

Thomas, playing out of Plainfield West 9, became the finest New Jersey amateur golfer during the period 1975 through 2000, putting an exclamation point on that reference when he won the 1993 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, earning an automatic berth into the 1994 Masters. He is one of only six New Jersey-born golfers to play in the Masters. Thomas was runner-up in the 1996 U.S. Public Links. Overall, he qualified for 10 U.S. Amateurs. 

In 1991, Thomas became the first golfer to win the NJSGA Amateur and Mid-Amateur in the same year.

Accomplishments:

• NJSGA Amateur Champion 1981,’83,’85,’87,’88,’ 90,’ 91,’94
• NJSGA Mid-Amateur Champion 1989,’91
• NJSGA Public Links Champion 1979,’85,’86,’87,’90
• NJSGA Four-Ball Champion 1983, ‘84, ‘95
• NJSGA Junior Champion 1976
• Member of nine Victorious Stoddard Bowl Teams

• Member of 19 Compher Cup Teams
• Ike Tournament Champion 1996
• Met Public Links Champion 1992,’98
• Met Intercollegiate Champion 1982
• MGA Player of the Year 1993,’94,’96
• Member of eight MGA International Teams
• USGA Mid-Amateur Champion 1993
• USGA Public Links Runner-Up 1996
• Qualified for 10 USGA Amateurs
• Sunnehanna Amateur Champion 1996
• Mexican Amateur Champion 1995
• Travis Memorial Champion 1995,’96
• Mid-Atlantic Amateur Champion 1995
• New York City Amateur Champion 1993,’96
• Havemeyer Memorial Champion 1993,’95
• Donald Ross Invitational Champion 1993
• Richardson Memorial Champion 1997
• Middlesex Open Champion 1990
• Played in The Masters 1994
• Four-time All-American (Div. III) at Ramapo College